THE SOLUTION
The neck’s susceptibility to injury is due in part to biomechanics. Injuries of the neck such as a slipped disc, cervical spondylosis (osteoarthritis of the neck), facet syndrome are commonly treated by chiropractors. Activities and events that affect cervical (the neck) biomechanics include long hours of sitting, repetitive movement, accidents, falls and blows to the body or head, normal aging, and everyday wear and tear. Neck pain and headaches can be very bothersome, and it can have a variety of causes including a bad posture.
During your visit, our doctor of chiropractic will perform exams to locate the source of your pain and will ask you series of questions pertinent to your neck pain and headaches.
Physical and neurological exams are performed by our doctors of chiropractic. In the physical exam, evaluation of posture, range of motion, and movement(s) that cause pain are observed by the attending doctor of chiropractic at Kirolounge. Your doctor will feel your spine, note its curvature and alignment, and feel for muscle spasm. During the neurological exam, your doctor will test your reflexes, muscle strength, other nerve changes, and pain spread.
Doctors of chiropractic are conservative care doctors; their scope of practice does not include the use of drugs or surgery. If our chiropractor diagnoses a condition outside of this conservative scope, such as a neck fracture or an indication of an organic disease, he or she will refer you to the appropriate medical physician or specialist. He or she may also ask for permission to inform your family physician of the care you are receiving to ensure that your chiropractic care and medical care are properly coordinated.
Neck Adjustments
A neck adjustment (also known as cervical manipulation) is a precise procedure applied to the joints of the neck, usually by hand. A neck adjustment works to improve the mobility of the spine and to restore range of motion; it can also increase movement of the adjoining muscles. Patients typically notice an improved ability to turn and tilt the head, and a reduction of pain, soreness, and stiffness.
Of course, your chiropractor will develop a program of care that may combine more than one type of treatment, depending on your personal needs. In addition to manipulation, the treatment plan may include mobilization, massage or rehabilitative exercises, or something else.
What Research Shows
One of the most recent reviews of scientific literature found evidence that patients with chronic neck pain enrolled in clinical trials reported significant improvement following chiropractic spinal manipulation. As part of the literature review, published in the March/April 2007 issue of the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, the researchers reviewed nine previously published trials and found “high-quality evidence” that patients with chronic neck pain showed significant pain-level improvements following spinal manipulation. No trial group was reported as having remained unchanged, and all groups showed positive changes up to 12 weeks post-treatment.
Are you experiencing or have a history of:
- Aches and pains
- Slip disc
- Degeneration
- Stiffness
- Numbness
- Hunching
- Shoulder pain
- Tension
- Difficulty breathing
- Rounded shoulders
